As India prepares to bid for the 2036 Olympics, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that India has the “capacity” to host such events, but it will face “fierce competition.”

In an interview with JioCinema, which live-streamed the Paris Olympics, Macron said, “I have great faith in your country, its future, and its potential to host events like these. This is a highly competitive arena, and that should not be underestimated.”

“I remember that seven years ago when we went to Lausanne, we competed with the US at that time—Los Angeles. And we reached an agreement in the end; it was, and still is, a great cooperation. So, competing, by itself, is clearly a great preparation”, the French president added.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said that India will make efforts to host these major sporting events.

“We are trying to host the 2030 Youth Olympics and the 2036 Olympics”, the PM said.

Speaking to the para-athletes contingent in Delhi following their successful performance at the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, PM Modi said the government’s approach is “athlete-centric.” He highlighted that India is growing in terms of its sporting culture and as a “sporting society.”

India and Egypt are among several other countries that have made bids to host the 2036 Olympics.